JP2006010726A - Development processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a development processing apparatus capable of exactly preventing the contamination of a processing solution without a need for an operator in carrying out unnecessary work. <P>SOLUTION: The photograph processing system 10 includes a printing section 12 for forming an image on photographic paper S by image exposure, a development processing section 14 for performing development of the image formed on the photographic paper S, and a controller 16 for controlling the operation of respective components of the photograph processing system 10. When a cover 30 for covering the top surface of a developing section 22 of the development processing section 14 after the end of a shut-down inspection, a CPU 16a of the controller 16 operates a lamp 38 and a buzzer 40. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a development processing apparatus, and more particularly to a development processing apparatus that stores a processing solution for processing a photosensitive material in a processing tank.

  In general, in a DPE shop or the like that performs photographic processing such as print production, it is known to perform development processing on an image-exposed photosensitive material using a development processing apparatus. In the development processing apparatus, the photosensitive material is subjected to development processing by sequentially passing through a plurality of processing tanks that store different types of processing solutions in the developing unit.

  In general, in the development processing apparatus, the processing liquid in each processing tank is warmed to a predetermined temperature during the development processing, so that dew condensation is likely to occur in the development unit after the development processing apparatus is stopped as the temperature of the processing liquid decreases. Become. If a droplet containing a component of a certain processing liquid generated by condensation is mixed into a processing tank storing other processing liquid, contamination (contamination) of the processing liquid occurs in the processing tank. As a result, uneven development or the like occurs in the image formed on the photosensitive material, and the quality of the developed photosensitive material is degraded.

At the DPE store, the cover of the developing unit is kept open at the end of work so that air is not trapped in the developing unit in order to prevent the occurrence of condensation in the developing unit and thus the contamination of the processing solution. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a development processing apparatus that automatically opens a developing unit cover by turning off a main power switch.
JP 2000-241951 A

  However, in the technique of Patent Document 1, for example, when the main power switch is turned off to reset the apparatus when an error occurs, the cover of the developing unit is automatically opened even when it is not necessary. The operator has to close the cover each time, and there is a problem that the operation is troublesome.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, a main object of the present invention is to provide a development processing apparatus that can prevent contamination of processing liquids accurately without causing an operator to perform unnecessary work.

  In order to achieve the above object, a development processing apparatus according to claim 1 is provided so as to be openable and closable so as to cover the development unit including a processing tank for storing a processing solution for processing a photosensitive material, and the development unit. A cover, a detecting means for detecting the open / closed state of the cover, a notifying means for informing the open / closed state of the cover, and a control means for operating the notifying means when the detecting means detects a state in which the cover is closed after the end work inspection.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the development processing apparatus according to the first aspect, the control means continues the operation of the notification means until the detection means detects that the cover is open after the end work inspection. Features.

  “End-of-work inspection” refers to work performed before stopping the development processing device, such as cleaning each part or replenishing consumables required at the next startup, in order to make the development processing device operate smoothly at the next startup. Say. The end-of-work inspection is performed at the end of the day at, for example, a DPE store.

  In the development processing apparatus according to the first aspect, when the detection unit detects a state in which the cover is closed after the end work inspection, the control unit operates the notification unit. Thus, when it is really necessary to open the cover that covers the developing unit, this is notified to the operator by the notification means, and the operator is allowed to open the cover. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of dew condensation in the developing unit and the contamination of the processing liquid without causing the operator to perform unnecessary work.

  In the development processing apparatus according to the second aspect, the control means continues the operation of the notification means until the detection means detects that the cover is open after the end work inspection. Therefore, the operator can reliably perform the operation of opening the cover that covers the developing unit, and contamination of the processing liquid can be reliably prevented.

  According to the present invention, contamination of the processing liquid can be prevented accurately without causing the operator to perform unnecessary work.

Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, a case will be described in which the present invention is applied to a photo processing system in which a development processing apparatus and a printing apparatus are integrally formed, and is preferably used in a DPE shop that produces prints.
Referring to FIG. 1, a photographic processing system 10 includes a printing unit 12 that performs image exposure (printing) on a photographic paper S that is an example of a photosensitive material, a development processing unit 14 that develops an image formed on the photographic paper S, And a controller 16 for controlling the operation of each component of the photographic processing system 10.

  The print unit 12 includes a paper magazine 18 in which a long photographic paper S that is an example of a photosensitive material is stored. The photographic paper S stored in the paper magazine 18 is pulled out along a predetermined conveyance path, cut into an appropriate size by a cutter (not shown), and a plurality of conveyances in which the cut photographic paper S is arranged on the conveyance path. It is conveyed by a roller.

  A digital exposure head 20 for forming an image (latent image) on the cut photographic paper S by image exposure is disposed on the transport path of the cut photographic paper S. As the digital exposure head 20, for example, a head such as a fluorescent printer, a PLZT printer, or a CRT printer is used. The photographic paper S that has been subjected to the exposure process in the printing unit 12 is sent to the development processing unit 14.

The development processing unit 14 includes a development unit 22 and a drying unit 24.
The developing unit 22 includes a plurality of (here, six) processing tanks 26 and a transport unit 28 for transporting the photographic paper S that has been exposed in each processing tank 26. Each processing tank 26 is filled with different types of processing liquids for performing processing such as development, fixing, and washing. Each treatment tank 26 is connected to a plurality of water replenishment tanks (not shown) provided so as to correspond to each treatment tank 26, and necessary treatment liquid is replenished to the treatment tank 26 from the corresponding water replenishment tank. Each processing tank 26 is connected to a waste liquid tank (not shown), and unnecessary processing liquid is appropriately discharged from each processing tank 26 to the waste liquid tank.

  During the operation of the photographic processing system 10, the processing liquid in each processing tank 26 is heated to about 40 ° C. by a heater (not shown). Further, during the operation of the photographic processing system 10, air is blown into the developing unit 22 by a fan (not shown) in order to prevent the occurrence of condensation in the developing unit 22 and to prevent contamination of the processing liquid in each processing tank 26. The wind is discharged from an exhaust port (not shown). That is, the inside of the developing unit 22 is always ventilated during the operation of the photo processing system 10.

  The transport unit 28 is detachably fixed to the developing unit 22 and transports the exposed photographic paper S in accordance with instructions from the controller 16. The transport unit 28 is exposed in the developing unit 22 by combining a plurality (six here) of lower transport units 28a and a plurality (here seven) of the top transport units 28b so as to correspond to the number of processing tanks 26. The photographic paper S is conveyed. Each lower transport unit 28 a is disposed so as to enter the processing liquid in the processing tank 26, and transports the exposed photographic paper S in the processing tank 26. The upper transport unit 28b is arranged so as to span the adjacent lower transport unit 28a, and sends the photographic paper S received from the lower transport unit 28a to the adjacent lower transport unit 28a. The upper transport unit 28b located at one end of the upper transport units 28b arranged in a row receives the photographic paper S from the printing unit 12. Further, the upper transport unit 28 b located at the other end of the upper transport units 28 b arranged in a row sends the photographic paper S to the drying unit 24. The upper surface of each upper transport unit 28 b is opened so that air containing the evaporated processing liquid does not stay in the processing tank 26 and the transport unit 28.

  Further, the developing unit 22 is provided with an open / close sensor 32 serving as a detection unit for detecting the open / closed state of the cover 30. Referring also to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, a cover 30 that covers the upper surface of the developing unit 22 is provided in the housing of the developing unit 14 so as to be openable and closable. A magnet 34 is provided on the surface (inner surface) of the cover 30 that faces the upper surface of the developing unit 22 so as to contact the open / close sensor 32 of the developing unit 22 with the cover 30 closed. The open / close sensor 32 detects a state in which the cover 30 is closed when the magnet 34 is in contact, and detects a state in which the cover 30 is open when the magnet 34 is separated. As shown in FIG. 3, a stand base 35 is provided on the inner surface of the cover 30, and the stand base 35 is provided with a stand 36 that can rotate at a predetermined angle with an axis 35a as a fulcrum. By standing the stand 36 on the developing unit 22, the cover 30 can be held open.

  Further, the housing of the development processing unit 14 is provided with a lamp 38 that emits light and a buzzer 40 that emits a predetermined sound as notification means. The lamp 38 and the buzzer 40 operate at predetermined timings according to instructions from the controller 16.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the latent images formed on the exposed photographic paper S are developed by sequentially passing through the processing tanks 26 of the developing unit 22. The photographic paper S that has been developed in the developing unit 22 is sent to the drying unit 24, dried by heat generated by the heater 42, and then discharged from the discharge port 44 (see FIG. 2).

  The developed photographic paper S (print) discharged from the discharge port 44 is conveyed by a conveyor unit (not shown) attached to the development processing unit 14 and sorted by order by a sorting unit (not shown) attached to the development processing unit 14. . Thereafter, the produced print is stored in a predetermined bag for each order and shipped.

  The controller 16 which is a personal computer or the like includes a CPU 16a, a ROM 16b, and a RAM 16c connected to each other via a CPU bus (not shown). The controller 16 is connected to a display unit 46 such as a monitor, a storage unit 48 such as a hard disk drive (HDD: including a hard disk), and an input unit 50 such as a keyboard and mouse for performing various instructions and settings by the operator. The The display unit 46 displays a GUI (Graphical User Interface) that facilitates the operation of the photographic processing system 10, an image to be formed on the photographic paper S, and the like.

  The CPU 16a executes various programs stored in the ROM 16b and the storage unit 48, processes the data, gives instructions to each component of the photo processing system 10, and controls the operation of the photo processing system 10. In this embodiment, the CPU 16a corresponds to the control means.

  The ROM 16b stores a startup program and the like. When the startup program is executed by the CPU 16a, programs such as an operating system (OS) and a program for controlling the photo processing system 10 recorded in the storage unit 48 are loaded into the RAM 16c, and various processes and controls can be executed. It becomes.

  In the RAM 16c, a program for controlling the photo processing system 10 and the like are expanded. Processing results by the program, temporary data for processing, display data for displaying information on the screen of the display unit 46 (text data, image data) Data) and the like, and is used as a work area of the CPU 16a. The display data developed on the RAM 16c is transmitted to the display unit 46, and the display unit 46 displays the display content (text, image, etc.) corresponding to the display data on the screen.

  The storage unit 48 writes or reads programs, control data, text data, image data, and the like to and from the hard disk in accordance with instructions from the CPU 16a. In this embodiment, the hard disk in the storage unit 48 stores a program for executing the operation shown in FIG.

  In addition, a scanner 52 is connected to such a controller 16. The scanner 52 acquires image data based on the image formed on the photographic film, and inputs the image data to the controller 16. The controller 16 inputs the image data output from the scanner 52 to the digital exposure head 20, and an image based on the image data is formed on the photographic paper S.

  Further, the writing unit 54 is connected to the controller 16. The writing unit 54 writes, for example, total data such as setting data of the photo processing system 10 and the number of prints made per day, which are input from the controller 16, into a storage medium 56 such as a flexible disk.

  Next, an example of the operation of the photo processing system 10 configured as described above will be described. Here, the operation at the end of work inspection and after the end of work inspection of the photo processing system 10 performed at the end of the day in the DPE store will be described. Note that “end-of-work inspection” in this embodiment means end-of-work inspection of the entire photographic processing system 10 including the end-of-work inspection of the development processing unit 14.

  Referring to FIG. 4, first, an end-of-work inspection program stored in storage unit 48 based on an instruction from input unit 50 is expanded in RAM 16c, enters an end-of-work inspection mode, and end-of-work inspection is started (step S1). ). Subsequently, a screen (work item screen) for displaying work to be performed at the end of work inspection is sequentially displayed on the display unit 46 (step S3), and the work displayed on the work item screen is sequentially performed. The work displayed on the work item screen is automatically performed by the photo processing system 10 according to the type of the work item screen, or manually by the operator.

  Specifically, in step S3, the setting data of the photo processing system 10 and the total data of the day are stored in the storage medium 56 (storage of backup data), the replenishment tank is replenished with the processing liquid, and the waste liquid from the waste liquid tank. Work item screens for instructing the operator to collect and clean the transport unit 28 are sequentially displayed on the display unit 46. For example, when the CPU 16a recognizes that one work is completed, such as when an OK button is pressed on the current work item screen, the current work item screen disappears from the display unit 46, and the next work item screen is displayed on the display unit. 46.

  Then, after all work item screens are displayed on the display unit 46, in other words, after all work to be performed at the end of work inspection is completed, an instruction to end the end work inspection is given from the input unit 50 (YES in step S5). ) End-of-work inspection ends. Until the instruction is given from the input unit 50 (NO in step S5), the end work inspection is continued.

  When the end-of-work inspection is completed in step S5 (YES), the open / close sensor 32 detects the open / closed state of the cover 30, and if the cover 30 is closed (NO in step S7), the CPU 16a The buzzer 40 is operated (step S9). That is, the operator is informed to open the cover 30 by the lighting of the lamp 38 and the sound generated by the buzzer 40. At this time, even if an instruction to turn off the power of the controller 16 is given via the input unit 50, the CPU 16a does not execute the operation of turning off the power of the controller 16, and cannot turn off the power of the controller 16.

  After that, when the operator stands the stand 36 of the cover 30 and the open / close sensor 32 detects that the cover 30 is open (YES in step S11), the CPU 16a stops the operation of the lamp 38 and the buzzer 40, and the controller 16 can be turned off. Then, the photograph processing system 10 is stopped when the controller 16 is turned off by the operator (step S13). Similarly, when the cover 30 is open (YES) in step S7, the process proceeds to step S13.

  Until the opening / closing sensor 32 detects that the cover 30 is open (NO in step S11), the CPU 16a continues the operation of the lamp 38 and the buzzer 40 and cannot turn off the controller 16. That is, until the cover 30 is opened, the operator cannot stop the operation of the lamp 38 and the buzzer 40 and cannot stop the photo processing system 10.

  In such a photographic processing system 10, when it is really necessary to open the cover 30 that covers the upper surface of the developing unit 22 with the lamp 38 and the buzzer 40, this is notified to the operator, and the operator opens the cover 30. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of condensation in the developing unit 22 and the contamination of the processing liquid in the processing tank 26 without causing the operator to perform unnecessary work.

  Further, until the open / close sensor 32 detects that the cover 30 is open, the CPU 16a continues the operation of the lamp 38 and the buzzer 40, and executes the operation even if there is an instruction to turn off the power of the controller 16. Therefore, the operator can surely perform the operation of opening the cover 30 before the photographic processing system 10 is stopped, and contamination of the processing liquid can be surely prevented.

  The attachment positions of the open / close sensor 32 and the magnet 34 are not limited to the above-described embodiment as long as the open / close state of the cover 30 can be detected.

  Further, the detection method of the open / closed state of the cover 30 is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, a button is provided as a detection unit on the housing of the development processing unit 14, and the cover 30 is pressed by the cover 30. The open / closed state may be detected.

  The notification means is not limited to the lamp 38 and the buzzer 40 described above, and for example, a predetermined screen may be displayed on the display unit 46.

  In the above-described embodiment, the photographic processing system 10 in which the print unit 12 and the development processing unit 14 are integrally formed has been described, but it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to a single development processing apparatus.

  Furthermore, the present invention can be applied to any development processing apparatus, for example, a film development processing apparatus that performs development processing on an exposed photographic film.

It is a block diagram which shows one Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view solution figure which shows the principal part of embodiment of FIG. FIG. 2 is an illustrative sectional view showing a main part of FIG. 1. It is a flowchart which shows an example of operation | movement of embodiment of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

10 Photo Processing System 14 Development Processing Unit 16 Controller 16a CPU
22 Developing Unit 26 Processing Tank 30 Cover 32 Open / Close Sensor 34 Magnet 38 Lamp 40 Buzzer

Claims (2)

A developing unit including a processing tank for storing a processing solution for processing the photosensitive material;
A cover provided to be openable and closable so as to cover the developing section;
Detecting means for detecting an open / closed state of the cover;
A development processing apparatus comprising: an informing means for informing an open / closed state of the cover; and a control means for operating the informing means when the detecting means detects a state in which the cover is closed after an end-of-work inspection.   2. The development processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit continues the operation of the notification unit until the detection unit detects a state in which the cover is open after an end-of-work inspection.

Images